
We had the pleasure of welcoming back speaker Leendert Wijnja who had shared with us some three years ago, his long history of heart disease and an eventual heart transplant after an 18 month waiting period before receiving a heart. Leendert has now qualified to participate in the 100m and 50m breaststroke events in the 25th World Transplant Games which will be staged in Dresden, Germany in 2025.
The Transplant Games is a celebration of a second chance of life, demonstrating the success of transplant surgery and promoting the need to raise public awareness of organ and tissue donation. Leendert was accompanied by Rentia le Roux, Chairperson of the Management Committee of the SA Transplant Sports Association.
The First World Transplant Games were held 1978 in Portsmouth, UK. The Games has grown to become the world’s largest awareness event for the gift of life and a beacon for transplant recipients, their families and supporters, donor families and living donors.
The Games has been held on the continents of North America, South America, Africa, Asia, Australia and Europe. This will be the first time the Games will be held in Germany. Partiicipation costs of the transplant recipients entering, are subsidised.
The seven-day program of high exertion and low impact sports, along with many social and cultural events, caters to both elite and social athletes and attracts 3000 participants from over 60 nations. Leendert also shared the challenges of travelling as a transplant recipient, the need for vigilant attention to ensure protection against infection – always wearing a mask and sanitising.
“One organ and tissue donor can transform the lives of many people”

Derek Pead warmly thanked our speakers, highlighting the need for people to make provision to support the Organ Donor Foundation.